Apparatus to convert wallet to purse

ABSTRACT

A bar apparatus where the bar is sized so that it can be inserted into the fold or opening, also herein called the crease, of a woman&#39;s checkbook-sized wallet. The bar may be quickly and easily secured into the crease of a wallet with the exposed two ends having openings that will permit a releasable strap to be attached to the bar so that the wallet can be worn on the shoulder, on the arm, or in hand as a purse.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wallets typically come in standard sizes and construction. Women's wallets, in particular, are widely used as both an item of convenience and a fashion accessory. They are generally compact and may offer varied organizational options like slots for credit cards, a zippered pocket for coins, and/or an area for a checkbook. Many women use wallets to organize smaller, important items like credit cards, a checkbook, paper money, coins, feminine products, etc. Often these wallets are then stored inside a larger purse or similar bag.

While purses do have a capacity for carrying items, they are not always convenient. The more space a purse can carry, the bigger in size and weight it can become for the wearer. In addition, items can build up inside a larger purse that is not periodically cleaned out, causing the owner to have to search each time an item is needed and/or for items to be lost or forgotten. Smaller in size and able to hold important items like credit cards and money, carrying only a wallet can be convenient for quick tasks or every day use, as well as easier to keep organized and cleaned out.

For people who appreciate the purpose of a purse and wallet as fashion accessories, it is desirable to choose from a broad selection of handbag goods in various textiles, colors, patterns, as well as articles created by name-brand designers.

The object of this invention is to provide the ability to convert a zip-around closure wallet (or wallet with a similar opening at its crease) to a purse, thus allowing a compact alternative to a larger purse. It increases the options available for purse wearers by converting an article many women already have into a purse/organizer. The apparatus can be manufactured in various sizes and materials so as to fit and complement the wide selection of wallets commonly available in the current market.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention comprises of a bar, that is to be used together with a releasable strap or chain, and manufactured for use with wallets already available for sale on the market and, more particularly, to a wallet with a zip-around or tri-fold closure (although any wallet with a similar opening at its crease could be compatible), such that the apparatus may be quickly and easily secured into the wallet with the exposed bar on two ends having a specific external appearance to permit the releasable strap to be attached to the apparatus so that the wallet can be used as a purse with a strap or chain and the materials used in manufacture to coordinate with various fashions.

In the past, wallets have not been designed to include straps. The main purpose for a wallet has traditionally been to contain and organize smaller items. Another purpose was to have a compact size, and then the wallet itself placed into a larger handbag. Since wallets are usually placed inside a larger handbag, it was more common in the past for them to be constructed with a standard textile and color (often solid, sometimes in a pattern that matched a larger handbag and/or collection).

More recently, smaller purses, which can be approximately the size of a wallet, are designed with a strap, but largely do not offer the organizational features of a wallet. There are some purses available with organizing features similar to that of a wallet, but they do not commonly provide either the compact size of a wallet or the wide range of fashion choices, or both. In addition, some wallets are designed to include hooks and detachable straps or with permanently attached straps, although the selection is limited. Now, for fashion purposes, wallets are also manufactured with various textiles and a multitude of designs and colors so that they can be paired with many handbag choices or carried separately.

Thus, this invention offers the capability of easily inserting said bar apparatus into a wallet (or wallet with a similar opening at its crease), so that a releasable strap or chain can be attached to said bar, thereby allowing the wallet to become a multi-purpose accessory without physically modifying the wallet's original construction. The wallet can be worn on the shoulder as a purse or carried on the arm or in the hand, depending on the type of strap or chain, while retaining the wallet's purpose as a compact organizer with an extensive diversity of fashion choices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Not applicable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a bar apparatus that may be quickly and easily secured into the open fold of a zip-around closure wallet, the crease of a tri-fold wallet, or wallet with a similar opening at its crease having the exposed bar on two ends, and a specific external appearance to permit the releasable strap to be attached to the bar so that the wallet can be worn as a purse using a shoulder strap or carried on the arm or in hand using a handle, and the materials used in manufacture to coordinate with various wallets.

The idea for the present invention evolved from the inventor's preference for small, fashionable handbags, which (due to limited size) are not able to accumulate a large capacity of items and therefore tend to be simpler to keep cleaned out. Small purses are available in many fashion textiles, colors, and patterns and from a wide selection of designers—but are not usually constructed with the common organizational features of a wallet. Therefore, the inventor of the present invention purchased a zip-around closure wallet and threaded a strap (from another handbag) into the wallet opening so as to allow the wallet to be carried around as a purse. This aforementioned solution provided the advantages of a compact and organized wallet, a purse that can be worn near the body, as well as the textile and design option of the wearer's choosing. However, as initially created (with a strap from another handbag), the strap did not provide enough support for the wallet fold and caused the wallet to undesirably crease at two stress points.

The wallet-to-purse bar apparatus as described in this present invention allows a wallet to be converted into a purse while providing needed support to the wallet from the bar portion of the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These drawings will be more completely understood and appreciated by referring to the following more detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the bar apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the bar apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, the purpose of which is to show the cross-section showing the curvature of the bar.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a releasable strap attached to the bar apparatus and comprises the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bar according to an embodiment of the present invention inserted into the opening at the crease of a wallet.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bar installed in the opening at the crease of a wallet with the releasable strap hooked to the bar at the exposed ends to demonstrate the complete intended purpose of the present invention.

All drawings are not to scale.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail in the following more detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is shown best in FIGS. 1-5.

In the preferred embodiment, the bar apparatus (1), shown in FIG. 1, would be constructed of a metal or plastic, although the specific type of metal or plastic used is not critical to the present invention so long as it is strong enough to maintain its structure and allow a wallet (20) weight load of likely not more than twenty (20) pounds. The material may also be a suitably strong non-metal material with a metal-like coating that may be manufactured to coordinate with the hardware available on a variety of wallets.

It is to be understood that modifications may be made to the bar apparatus (1) of the present invention, particularly in relation to the length of the apparatus, which will be manufactured in multiple lengths to work with widely available wallet sizes and which fall within the scope of the above description.

The width of the bar apparatus (1) will likely be ⅝″ (the left to right measurement in FIG. 2) and will likely be ⅛″ thick (the top to bottom measurement in FIG. 2). However, it is also to be understood that modifications may be made to the bar apparatus (1) of the present invention, particularly in relation to the width and thickness of the apparatus, which may be manufactured in multiple widths and thickness to work with widely available wallet sizes and which fall within the scope of the above description of the present invention's intended objectives.

In the preferred embodiment, the bar apparatus (1) would be slightly curved as shown in FIG. 2. The curve will allow the successful open/close operation of the wallet and will aim not to hamper the original intended purpose of the wallet of containing and organizing items.

In addition, it is to be understood that modifications may be made to the bar apparatus (1) of the present invention, particularly in relation to the degree of curvature, which may depend on the length, width, and thickness of the bar apparatus (1) of the present invention and which will fall within the scope of the above description.

In the preferred embodiment, when the bar is inserted into a wallet and will have exposed parts of the bar at both ends (1), these ends will have openings so that a releasable strap (2 a) with hooks or similar attaching device (2 b) at the extremities that can be easily opened and closed and connected to the exposed part of the bar apparatus (1) designed so as to allow attachment, shown in FIG. 3.

It is to be understood that the style of strap or chain used in conjunction with the apparatus are not defined or limited herein. Different styles of straps and types of hooks may be used with the apparatus to allow for different aesthetic choices—although the purpose of a hook or similar attachment (2 b) to attach to the bar apparatus (1) of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3 remains the same.

The intended purpose of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5. The bar apparatus (1) of the present invention is inserted in the fold and spine, or crease, of a wallet (20) and the hooks (2 b) at the extremities of a strap or chain (2 a) is attached to the ends of the said bar apparatus (1) so that the wallet can be worn on the shoulder as a purse or carried on the arm or in hand.

There has therefore been shown and described a bar (1) apparatus, shown in FIG. 3, which accomplishes all of its intended objectives. 

I claim:
 1. A bar apparatus comprising: a. A single bar of a length so dimensioned as to be insertable into the opening or space in the fold and spine, also herein called the crease, between the outer material and the sewn in contained section of a standard zip-around closure woman's wallet; or the fold or spine, or the crease, of a tri-fold woman's wallet; or the fold or spine, or the crease, of a wallet or clutch-style purse with a similar and so allowing construction; the women's wallet industry has standardized the size of wallets to be between 3″ and 12″ wide at their fold or spine, or the crease, the wallets being of standard size as is widely available in retail stores, and not a specific size as defined by or as part of this invention; this bar having two ends with holes that permit hooks or similar fastening devices to be attached, and; the bar is to be used together with a removable purse strap or chain, the strap or chain of which is not a specific material, length, or width as defined by or as part of this invention; with the intention and purpose of converting a woman's wallet to a purse, so that said wallet may be carried or worn using the attachable and releasable purse strap or chain as a handle or shoulder strap.
 2. The bar of claim 1 wherein said bar being straight lengthwise but having a slight curve circumferentially along the short width so as to mimic the curve or the fold or spine, or the crease, of a woman's wallet; and of a thickness and width so as not to hinder the open and close operation of the wallet or the ability of said wallet to contain items. 